2025 SOS4CC – SOcial Sciences 4 Climate Change. From Knowledge to Action

Climate change stands as a defining challenge of our era, compromising ecological transformation but also demanding profound societal change. As we navigate urgent issues—such as climate change mitigation and adaptation, addressing socio-economic and class inequalities, fostering solidarity across diverse identities, and creating inclusive, decolonial and recognitional practice spaces—we emphasize the critical contributions of social sciences in facilitating these transformations.

Science is tasked with the crucial role not only of providing facts and knowledge but also of actively contributing to socio-ecological transformations. This conference focuses on the role of social sciences in informing the understanding of climate change impacts, challenges, opportunities and in shaping effective responses.

Focusing on the socio-cultural dimensions of climate change, the conference will explore the roles of EU, national, and local governments, civil society organizations, social movements, the financial and business sectors, and citizens in addressing the climate crisis. It will examine issues related to climate governance, transformation practices, social inequalities, climate justice, gender and other intersectional dimensions, community resilience, climate change adaptation, and risk mitigation. We will also investigate the intersection of scientific research and practical applications in developing innovative solutions for climate resilience that are context-specific and culturally relevant.

By employing interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary lenses, we aim to enhance our understanding of how to create actionable knowledge and solutions collaboratively with diverse stakeholders beyond academia. This approach emphasizes the importance of integrating insights from multiple disciplines while engaging non-academic sectors to address complex climate challenges effectively.

The conference seeks to achieve the following objectives:

• Explore governance, regulatory frameworks, and just transition principles to foster research-policy connections for climate action and social-ecological transformation
• Study transformative approaches to overcoming unsustainable systems and fostering socio-ecological change.
• Examine the disproportionate impacts of climate change on marginalized groups, promoting intersectional approaches and community solidarity for justice.
• Improve understanding of behavioural drivers, barriers, lock/in for climate adaptation and risk mitigation as well as community/led initiatives effectively supporting just transformation and community resilience.

Join us in exploring how we can further connect and mobilize social sciences research to tackle the challenge of accelerating change while actively contributing to a more equitable society that prioritizes both people and the planet. Through this collaborative effort, we can better understand the interconnectedness of social systems and environmental sustainability in the face of climate change.

Conference fee for Master and PhD students: 50€

Conference fee for early career researchers: 100 €

Conference fee for mid-career and established researchers: 150 €

Conference fee covers Conference kit, lunch and snacks during the days of the conference. Detailed information will be available on the registration page once the registration period will open.